Guarding Bushes
by RainbowMist
Summary: Sam and Daniel are bored whilst watching the Stargate. If you see all manner of nasty possibilities here, you came to the wrong place. Friendship fluff : Rated T just to be safe, nothing bad here.


Author's Note: Hi to anyone who's taken the time out of your busy day to read my story! This is my first Stargate fic. I got this idea while watching the season one episode _Bloodlines_ so it takes place in that timeframe. (After _Solitudes_ I guess, since I make a reference to it, otherwise there are no spoilers) It centres on Sam and Daniel but is not meant to be taken as shippy (I'm a Jack/Sam fan all the way:-) I'm more of a 'friend-shipper' when it comes to TV anyway. Feel free to correct me if I make a factual error, but try to be kind. Thank you, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate or any of its characters, and am not claiming to, so please don't sue me!

* * *

Daniel Jackson and Sam Carter lay in the bushes in wait with their MP-5s pointed at the totally inactive stargate. They had been there quite awhile, and it was starting to get cramped and uncomfortable. Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c had left the clearing almost two hours ago to scout the planet, once again leaving the two youngest members of SG-1 on what they had come to call 'bushes duty,' sometimes the charge seemed utterly pointless. 

Daniel took in his surroundings; the planet itself was another example of the rich forested climates that looked suspiciously like the western coast of Canada. It seemed clear to him, and to Sam, that no one had been here for a very long time. He finally decided to give it up and leaned back against a nearby tree. He looked at Sam, and figured she would fall asleep any second if it wasn't for her years of military training. Daniel didn't have that particular advantage. He sometimes wondered where she had fit it all in, Daniel himself was considered somewhat of a prodigy for his immense knowledge of archaeology at his age, but Sam, she was a good couple years younger then him(1) and not only did she have a PhD in astrophysics but also military training complete with overseas battle time. Daniel's mind returned to the thought that had been nagging him since Jack and Teal'c left.

"Captain?" he asked.

"Yeah?" replied Sam, her eyes still on the deserted gate.

"Do you ever get the feeling Col. O'Neill just wants us out of his hair sometimes?"

"What makes you say that?" asked Sam, looking over at him this time.

"Well, for one, the fact that he keeps giving us pointless jobs like this," he answered indicating their motionless surroundings for effect.

"It's not pointless Daniel," replied Sam dutifully defending her commanding officer, "We're on an alien planet, you never know when…" she trailed off noticing the 'do you really believe that?' look Daniel was giving her. She sighed and put down her rifle. "Yeah, you're right, no one's been here for years." Daniel was glad she agreed with him and even more glad he could finally put down the damn gun, which started to hurt after awhile.

"So what do you suppose it is about us that drives Jack away?" asked Daniel, more than half-joking, Sam, however, seemed to take the question seriously.

"Well, I don't know," answered Sam nibbling on an awful, freeze-dried air force…thing, it seemed almost like a cookie. Daniel played with the idea of giving her an extra pack of M&Ms he had brought with him. He learned during the Abydos mission to bring his own snack foods, as opposed to the less-than-appetizing Air Force rations SG teams were issued. Eventually, his manners got the better of him and he tossed the girl some chocolate. She was happy to get it.

"I think it's his scientist thing," continued Sam after some time, Daniel was confused for a second, as he didn't know she was still on the topic.

"What makes you think he has a 'scientist thing?'" asked Daniel, he would have accused her of being slightly paranoid if he didn't remind himself that this whole conversation was slightly paranoid, and that he was, in fact, the one who started it.

"Well he told me," she said simply.

"I see," he replied.

"Yeah," she smiled slightly, "We'll show him though."

"How?"

"We'll know it when it happens."

"Right," said Daniel. "Hey! Do you think you can show me anything cool?"

"Cool?" asked Sam looking up from her candy. "Like what?"

"I don't know, military stuff."

"I think that's best left to the professional trainers at the SGC, Daniel," replied Sam cautiously. "I'm not really qualified to…"

"Oh c'mon, you've got to be able to show me something, I showed you how to work the Stargate."

"Fine! But you can't use that anymore"

"Well, I did!"

"I would've figured it out."

"Of course."

"Take a damn stick," she said smiling, after standing up and tossing a large stick to her teammate, perhaps a little harder than was necessary. Daniel took it, stood up as well, and made a valiant attempt at a battle stance.

"No Daniel, one hand."

"But this is how Teal'c-"

"Who's teaching here, Doctor?"

"You are, but-"

"One hand, Daniel," she repeated, Daniel noticed she had a trace of a smile and complied.

"Now I don't pretend to be an expert on Air Force military tactics," said Daniel, "but this seems kind of weird. Did you learn it at the SGC?"

"No," she replied, "but don't underestimate it, it was my first training."

"Where'd you learn it?"

"Well, Mark and I kinda came up with it together."

"Okay…" replied Daniel.

"Mostly after watching _Treasure Island."_

"_Treasure Island?"_

"Well, I _was_ only eight at the time, my dad loved it."

"Okay…" repeated Daniel.

"Oh! Mark's my older brother!" supplied Sam, realising that it was the first time she mentioned her family to Daniel. The archaeologist gave himself a mental kick, he should have figured that one out, it was pretty obvious. He guessed he hadn't had to worry about a family for so long, it didn't occur to him that his teammates might have had a normal childhood.

"So, is your brother in the military too?" asked Daniel curiously.

"No," replied Sam, holding her stick in the same swashbuckler-esque way she'd shown Daniel. "My dad always figured one of us would carry on the tradition, I think the actual outcome surprised everyone, myself included."

"…Interesting." said Daniel, not sure what to make of all this. "So are you going to show me this Carter family special?"

"If you're sure." Daniel wasn't sure he was sure, it all seemed slightly immature, but he decided to see where she was going with this.

Sam took a swing at the archaeologist, grasping her stick like a sword. Daniel instinctively blocked it.

"Good job!" she said playfully patronising.

"At what?" asked Daniel.

"Shhh!" she replied. "You have much to learn Grasshopper."

"Your ways are strange," he countered in his best impression of Teal'c. He then took a swing at her, which she easily blocked. Before they realised what they were doing, the two scientists were swashing and buckling(2) like no one's business. After a few minutes of this, Daniel _did_ realise what they were doing and paused for a minute.

"Er…Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"Aren't we a little old for this?"

"Possibly," she agreed.

"I mean is there a point to it?"

"Of course."

"Which is?"

"You're not qualified to know that yet," she said smiling smugly.

"Okay," he said trying to hit her again; she hit him back. "Then, when is this ever going to be helpful? Unless one of those gate addresses happens to go to Never-Never Land?"

"Well, you never know Daniel, It's a _big_ galaxy," she replied. "Maybe Captain Hook was actually a Goa'uld."

"Interesting theory," said Daniel, smiling.

"I thought so," agreed Sam, with a grin. "Plus, if you can fight with a stick well it's only a small step to a sword if were ever stuck on a less technologically advanced planet."

"Or a Light Sabre if we're ever stuck on a more advanced one!" added Daniel enthusiastically.

"I don't think so Daniel"

"It's a big galaxy, Sam." he smiled again and knocked her feet out from under her with his stick, causing her to fall on flat her butt. "So, when do we get the real swords?"

"I don't think the SGC has swords in its armory, Daniel," she said picking herself up and shooting him a death glare, "which bodes well for you 'cos I'd kick your ass."

"Of _course_ you would," joked Daniel. Sam just gave him the most evil look she could muster. Daniel examined the ground around him. "Sorry," he murmured.

"Damn straight," she muttered with a smile.

Daniel looked around and realised it was starting to get dark out; he put down his stick and sat again, "Jack and Teal'c have been gone a long time, do you think they're okay?"

"If they weren't you'd think they would have tried to contact us," replied Sam, sitting down now as well. She indicated the walkie-talkie attached to her vest, "I'm sure they'll be back soon."

"So, are you gonna tell me the real point to our little training session?"

"You wanted me to show you something cool."

"We do have the guns."

"We've already been over-" she paused. "Hey! Didn't I confiscate your gun?" she asked narrowing her eyes.

"Your point?" asked Daniel innocently.

"Daniel…"

"Jack insisted I have it if I'm gonna watch your guys' back."

"Fair enough," agreed Sam.

"Although, I guess I don't need it anymore, because now I know some awesome hand-to-hand skills," Sam gave him a look; "I bet I could give _Teal'c_ a run for his money now!" Sam threw her discarded Air Force… thing at him.

"I'd take that bet," muttered Sam.

"Come again?"

"Nothing," she said smiling innocently.

"Right…"

"Do you have any brothers or sisters, Daniel?" asked Sam realising she didn't really know much about her teammate other than anything that was relevant to their official (and unofficial) mission statement.

"No," replied Daniel, decidedly not forthcoming in his reply.

"Oh," said Sam, committing to neither the positive nor the negative.

"Oh?" asked Daniel, "is that good or bad?"

"I'm not sure actually," admitted Sam, smiling slightly. "Since I'm the baby in my family I don't really have any experience in the 'no siblings' department. I bet you were spoiled as a kid."

"Yeah, I guess I was a bit," answered Daniel thinking about it for a moment, "but I think it had more to do with my foster parents feeling bad for me, than my being an only child."

"Foster?" asked Sam cautiously.

"Yeah, my parents died when I was pretty young."

"I didn't know that," replied Sam wishing she hadn't asked that last question, her instincts had told her not to. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't worry," reassured Daniel with a hint of a smile, "that was a long time ago."

"My mom died when I was young too." She thought for a second and then added with a small laugh, "I guess I don't really have a point beyond that, just that I kinda know what it's like."

"Well, it's not really an open wound," he replied, "My childhood wasn't really that bad."

"I'm sorry- I didn't mean to bring it up."

"Don't worry about it," he repeated and seemed to mean it. "Thanks for the sentiment, though."

Sam smiled, she was relived Daniel hadn't been too put out by the subject she had inadvertently started. Daniel leaned back against his tree, and Sam resumed her position with her gun pointed at the inarguably inactive stargate. When she figured it was safe to tread back into slightly hazardous waters, she continued:

"So you have no brothers or sisters…" she said, again, cautiously.

"No…" replied Daniel, not in a mean way, but surprised she was still on the topic.

"So you never got to play any dumb games like the one I showed you today?"

"I guess not."

"Then that's why we played it," replied Sam, smiling confidently.

"Come again?" asked Daniel

"Well my brother, like most I'm sure, can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but I think dumb little games like that are a big part of the reason siblings exist." She paused for a second, then added, "I guess it just kind of sucks, for lack of a better word, that you never got to have that type of experience."

Daniel got a kind of warm, fuzzy feeling at these words that he wasn't expecting, like he knew that his friends cared about him. He wasn't used to that, at the very least not since he left Abydos.

"Thanks Sam," he said simply.

"You're welcome…" she was glad, if not slightly confused, that her simple statement had had such an effect on her teammate. She concentrated on the gate again. Daniel, still against his tree, started to rummage though his pack, he produced a powerbar and, to Sam's amazement, a Gameboy. She gaped at him in utter disbelief.

"I'm sorry," she retorted. "I thought I was on a mission with a respected archaeologist."

"Which is why I'm playing _Tomb Raider!"_ countered Daniel, then added, "and I was _never_ respected."

"But you took a Gameboy?"she continued incredulously, "I'd expect a book but-" she then tried another tactic, "That's _got_ to be against regulations!"

"Then I guess it's a good thing I'm not in the Air Force."

"You just never struck me as the video game type."

"I never really was, but it's weird, the things you think about if you think you're going to have to live your whole life without modern technology."

"And food," added Sam.

"Food too," agreed Daniel, "do you have any idea how much pizza I ate when I first got back?"

"Couldn't even guess," replied Sam, smiling. "So did you miss video games too?"

"More like I regretted never trying them. I mean don't get me wrong, I _love_ Abydos, and I don't at all regret staying with Sha're but there were a couple nights when I thought stuff like 'Huh, I never tried a Gameboy.'"

"That's interesting," said Sam genuinely.

"Yeah," he agreed, then added: "plus I don't think spending all this time with Jack O'Neill has helped much." Sam nodded knowingly. Daniel started fiddling with his flashlight, as it was starting to get rather dark.

"Wanna try?" he asked, being polite more than anything, he already knew pretty much what she was going to say.

"Well someone should be watching the gate, that _is_ why we're here in the first place." Daniel nodded, he knew she wouldn't want to try. However, to his surprise, she than added, " -but I'll give it a shot." Daniel froze.

"Well, you never know when something could happen…" he started.

"Daniel, you said it yourself, no one's been here for years."

"Right…" he said in defeat, recalling his own words. He reluctantly handed her the game system, "just making sure."

Sam took the Gameboy and looked at the screen for a few seconds, then turned it around and checked the game cartridge. She gave her teammate an odd look. Daniel smiled innocently.

"_Pokémon_, Daniel?"

Daniel stared at her blankly for a few seconds then, after blinking a few times, he composed himself and replied calmly, "Why yes Captain, do you have a problem with that?"

"Absolutely not Dr. Jackson!" she said smiling sweetly, too sweetly he thought, "I know some people down at the SGC are fans as well, maybe I'll share."

"Go ahead," replied Daniel matching her look exactly, "I just hope it doesn't get out how much someone enjoyed 'sharing body heat' with her commanding officer."

Sam cleared her throat, "maybe not." She could have sworn Daniel's smile got slightly more evil for a second, but she dismissed it. She passed him back the game, and returned to her position facing the gate.

It was really starting to get dark now. Daniel eventually gave up trying to maneuver the flashlight into a comfortable position and turned it off, along with the Gameboy.

"So can we do anything else?" asked Daniel looking at his teammate.

"Like what, Truth or Dare?" joked Sam, Daniel laughed.

"Now we're _definitely_ too old for that!"

"Well of course. It's your turn can you think of anything?" asked Sam.

"Well… I suppose we could guard the gate."

---

"I do not believe there is anymore to see on this planet, O'Neill." Teal'c and Col. Jack O'Neill were roughly half a mile from Sam and Daniel's position near the Stargate.

"Yeah, I agree Teal'c," replied Jack, "but Hammond says we have to explore these deserted planets more to see if the Goa'uld left any cool toys lying around."

"What of CaptianCarter and DanielJackson?" asked Teal'c.

"Oh they're fine!" assured Jack, "They've done it a million times!"

"I believe it is considerably less than one million, O'Neill."

"Figure of speech, T," corrected Jack, with a slight, good-natured shake of the head. "They have done it a lot though."

"Indeed," agreed Teal'c predictably. "However, it is getting dark."

"Don't worry, they're big kids, scientists none-the-less they can handle themsel- " but before he could finish, he was cut off by the sound of gunfire in the distance.

"Those are weapons of the Tau'ri," said Teal'c slightly unnecessarily, but Jack could tell it was the Jaffa's own way of showing his concern for his teammates.

"Dammit!" swore Jack. "Teal'c we have to- " but the big guy was a step ahead of him, already headed full speed toward the gate. Jack followed at a full run. After a couple minutes of running through the dark, unfamiliar forest, they burst into Sam and Daniel's clearing.

"Carter! Daniel! What's- " but the sight he was met with was not at all the worst case scenario he had come up with: The younger contingent of his team was fine, in fact they were laughing.

"Hi sir," greeted Sam innocently, Daniel gave a small wave.

"Back already Jack?" he added brightly.

"Carter! What the hell's going on? We heard gunshots!"

"…_Told you he'd hear them,"_ mumbled Sam to Daniel.

"…_You didn't have to take the dare, Captain,"_ countered Daniel.

"…_Yes I did! I wasn't gonna pay you a hundred bucks!"_

"Carter! I repeat! What the hell!"

Sam and Daniel shot each other quick glances, "well sir we were… you see… we…" stumbled Sam.

"We were bored, Jack," finished Daniel simply.

"So you were doing… what?"

"Er- truth or dare, sir," she answered like a child caught up past her bedtime.

"With…_guns?"_ asked Jack in disbelief.

"Not exactly…" said Daniel and then launched into his story. "Sam picked 'Dare' so I bet she couldn't hit that tree over there- " he motioned toward a small, thin tree about 200 feet away, " -in less than three shots and…"

"What if there were snakeheads here? You could have given away your position."

"Sir, with all due respect…"

"Jack, it's obvious that no one, besides us, has been here for years, so Sam and I figured that there was no reas- "

"Carter," said Jack suddenly, interrupting Daniel mid-word, "the more important thing is… didja hit it?"

"Yes sir, all three times but…"

"Nice!"

"Er- thank you sir,"

"Lucky for you two, I agree with you, nothing here but trees, grass and the occasional mosquito, but seeing as this is an overnight assignment… can I play?"

"Of course," replied the two youngest members of SG-1 at almost exactly the same time, they were too shocked and/or relived to say much else.

"What is 'Truth or Dare' O'Neill? I am unfamiliar with such a human ritual," said Teal'c.

"A game T, and exactly what it sounds like. It's a _very _mature pastime." Jack looked over at Daniel, "Hey! Is that a Gameboy?"

"Yeah," replied Daniel defensively.

"What game?" asked Jack, reaching for it. Sam laughed.

"Nevermind," replied Daniel quickly, stuffing it into his pack.

"Aww, Come on Daniel!"

"No!" said Daniel with finality, and sat on his pack.

"Fine then!" said Jack apparently giving up. "Daniel, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"What game?" he asked eagerly. Sam stifled a giggle, which caused her to make a weird sound; Teal'c gave her an odd look.

"Jack…"

"Answer the question, Daniel"

"I originally bought it for Cassie."

"Go on…" he urged, intrigued.

"It's addictive!"

"Daniel…" he said in that annoyed tone reserved only for his team.

"Hey! Was that a glider? We better go check it out!"

"Daniel! Share!"

"Fine, but you'll regret it when we're dead."

"We'll see," replied Jack, smiling.

* * *

It's over! (To quote Homestar Runner) I really hope you enjoyed my story. Please review, but as I said before try to be kind, it wasn't supposed to be serious. I really enjoyed writing it and drew some things from my own experiences; namely the annoyingness of siblings and the addictive qualities of Pokémon ;-) Thanks for reading! 

(1) I'm talking about the characters, not the actors, I get the distinct impression (not sure from where) that Sam is supposed to be younger than Daniel, despite the actual ages of Michael Shanks and Amanda Tapping.

(2)TM Orlando Bloom, _Pirates of the Caribbean _DVD (Bloopers I believe :-)


End file.
